The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-11-24

nv Pradier-uot especially impressive The
Speakers dais is raised above the heads of the
memhers IL consists of what we are wont to
call judicial 'sbench, and on either side OF him
are the official clerks There no wigs. gowns.
or other ancient millinery, as in the House or
Commons; there Is no mace. no chaplain. no
treasury table dividing the chief ANTAGONISTS, as
in the House of Commons. Below the SPEAKERS
platform, and reached on either side By short
fight of narrow steps, is the tribune. which re-
sembies very much the most Puritan-like read
ing-desk that was ever seen in a rtual-hatlng
convertible. Members do not address the
Speaker from their own places on the floor ms
in our House and the House of Commons. Inc
tribune is 1.-The floor IN the Chamber OF Depu-
ties No one may mount it until the President
or. we would saw the Speaker has gwen I'm
the ''parole"-tbat Is, recognized him. linen
he rushes-we never one of them walk--up
TO the tribune and mounts the STAIRS with
ridiculous mincine race. they are so narrow ana
80 short. takes them all ut jump lie then
faces the House, the Speaker being oenind ana
above him.
Only members may be on the floor; but around
the entire semiclrcle, in boxes at the theater,
there are boxes: for the President of the Repub-
lie the central one. directly facing the Speakers
chair, and OF either side for the diplomatic
corps, distinguished visitors, etc. Admission
is only by card from one of these or one OF the
Deputies, and at no time are any more visitors
admitted than there are seats for
The first impression the Chamber of Deputies
makes one accustomed to the sobriety or the
House of Commons. and the comparative acc
Drum of our American chamber. Is that or an
unruly school with a very amiable and perfectly
impotent master. The opening scene of the first
witnessed in opera bouffe. The comicalitv
arose out Of the inconeruity between the ideal
dignity, the sovereign responsibility. the vast
and dan gerous power OF the National Leglsia-
ture of a great people. and the Individual and
general behavior. Although larger than the
house of Commons, the chamber looks smaller.
and no person accustomed to civilization would
suppose for moment that il was Legislature
in session It presented the picture of riot not
amounting to revolution The Speaker-Flo-
uuet, an urbane and handsome gentleman, his
fine mellow face beautifully framed in mis- own
wavy gray hair. clean shaver, and with gold
spectacles on his nose-stood smiling and IN
noticed at the desk. his hand the bell. large.
oval. g.ass-coversd one. with sonorous
tongue. He rang it necessarily. but with ineffa-
BILE smilinRness of sound. bis face showing no dis
composure. He rang it as if to say, "Order.
order, If you please gentlemen, but ii you can
not have any order, very well. very WELL" No
man was in his seat Everybody was either
gestieulating more less frantcally or rushing
over desks or edRing his way through the pas
sages between them il his life depended upon
hig getting TO some other man. Many necks
were craned eagerly toward the tribune. where
talking; but the sphinx has heard the pyramids
well any heard what he had to say.
The Speaker occasionally raped in the most
paltry way upon the side of the table with the
edge of an ivory paper knife; he might well
have cast a slip of paper into raging ocean. As
the deputy in the tribune stepped down half
dozen raced QOW0 the alsieS ali out oVeEJuFHinR
colleagues in their hot haste to get the parole
from the Speaker without which no one can
ascend the tribune.
M. Floquet looked calmly about him as Canute
might have surveyed the sea; but in this in
stance the waves were anxious to answer He
looked again and again, and harsh misses of
over the house. Moi, moi" IT, y made the
monosylabic chorus with something that
sounded like "Slvooplay" ('tSil plait," if
you pleased from those nearest him. He was
In yaA Hrha 10
hurricane In the House of Commons a dozen
men rise and take off their hats. but they stand
mute as statues until the Speaker desIgnates the
one to speak; all others instantly and IN silence
put on their hats and take their seats. In our
House many will shrek "Mr. Speaker, Mr..
Speakerl" in times of excitement. but when Mr..
Speaker has indicated who is to have the floor.
decorum prevails at least to the extent of re-
quirne all others to be seated. On this occasion
the whole Chamber undertook to make a choice
for NJ. Floquet.
There are as many parties in the Chamber as
there are antaeonistic leaders. 1t is if in
House among the Republicans there should be
wing representing tariff reform; wing repre-
senting tariff for protection; wing representing
single standard, and another double standard a
wing advocating one term for the President, and
q wing representing third term-all Republic
ans and ali antagonistic. So with the Demo
crnts; making instead of two parties half a doz-
en-. Now each of the wings in the Chamber
wanted the Chair to name it's represen tative as
the next speaker; and all cried out together in
bowling jargon of syllables which IL was, of
course, impossible for any ordinary man to diff
ferentiate. M. FloQuet smilingly began to ring
his big bell, first slightly. even timidly, then
little more sharply. then he seized it with ener-
gy and rang, and rang. and rang; then rested
his wrist-fOr the bell is heavy-and in that in
stane of rest the chorus went up again with an
increased volume and an angry temper that
made Us ask how near We were TO the exit
Some of the members mounted their chairs,
shouted and gesticulated Others sat down at
their desks and began TO write and send notes
around. Others gathered in kissing knots over
At the wall and held little furious caucuses
STILL M. Floquet rang his bell or struck the side
Of the table with his paper knife.
AT length a saliow, thin man ran up the steps
of the tribune as if he had BEEN shot there out
Of invisible cannon, shrleked something at
The mob, and ran down again without even a
lone having been caught, much less word heard.
Then another Deputy from the opposite side of
the Chamber jumped over the legs of several
sitting members, ran down the aisle and mem
aced NJ. Floquet, who smiled at him
amused father would smile at a willful child
whom the father admired for his folly. NJ Flo |
4uet having grown weary of bell ringing and Ia
Dle-striking, spoke out in earnest and solemn |
voice, and the clamor began to lull Everyone |
stopped long enough to hear what he was about |
to say. He spoke a name, thereby designating |
The member who was TO speak. A yell |
IF frenzy broke from three-fourths |
IF the Chamber, with EXPLANATIONS Of |
.Nnnnnnnn-ol" and "Jamais. jmain But the
member designated proceeded 70 force his way |
Down through the crowd that pressed |
together physically to prevent his |
asst lifted him bodily upon their shoulders. and |
threw him over the heads of those impeding the |
way He had the rare luck to alght on the |
tribune; and the moment he began to speak
hat is. to make the pantomime OF speaking |
several shook their fists at him, but be proceed
ID quite unconscious Of annoyance. When he
had finished M. Floquet quickly designated an
Their from the opposite side Of the house.
There a rush for the tribune by half
lozen. and while the Deputy named was strue-
ling like an oarsman upstream to get toward
he dais. one of the disappointed few upon the
ribune, turned squarely around. and thrust his
losed fist into the face of NJ. Foquet. That
,laDd and patient gentleman drew back to avoid
disagreeable contact, bent his supple old body
nto graceful bow. and SAID with nimitable
ourtesy to his assailant, ''Pardoni" as if he
we're sorry for the oifense of not having per-
ntted his handsome face to be encountered
The designated member by this time had
cached the steps of the Tribune and mounted,
3 his rival disappeared in the struggling
mass. He had tremendous voice and
'elled attention. Then q new scene began.
I'll nj